(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nutritional composition comprising sea water elements and minerals in substantially the same proportion as in natural sea water or sea water and a caloric nutrient source, preferably a simple sugar or other easily metabolizable carbohydrate. The composition is useful for providing the sea water minerals to a human, animal, or plant. Preferably, the composition comprises the sea water elements and minerals or sea water in an isotonic solution. The composition preferably further includes dextrose and optionally, protein hydrolyzates, vitamins, and other nutritionally or pharmaceutically acceptable compositions. The composition is administered orally or parentally, in particular, intravenously or intramuscularly.
(2) Description of Related Art
Throughout recorded history, sea water has been extolled in folklore for its healing and curative properties. To this very day, sea water is used by various peoples as a cure for a variety of skin conditions. In general, the skin conditions are treated by immersing the skin in a bath containing sea water or a concentrated solution of sea water minerals prepared from crystalline salts, e.g., foot baths. It has been suggested that the high salt concentration and high osmolality of sea water may be responsible for its healing power. However, notwithstanding the thousands of years of folklore extolling the healing powers of sea water and the several world renown spas that provide sea water therapies, modern medical science has been slow to investigate what attributes in sea water might provide the foundation for the folklore claims to its healing powers. As a consequence, sea water remains nothing more than a folk remedy and its healing powers for the most part have been met with skepticism.
Despite modern medical science's general disinterest in the healing powers of sea water, from time to time treatments using sea water as an ingredient have been proffered. For the most part, these treatments have been limited to topical uses of sea water. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,226 to Dillon discloses a treatment for sensitive animal tissue such as ulcerated tissue using specially prepared sea water. The sea water is prepared by removing debris and small organisms, sterilizing, and diluting to provide a sterilized solution with an osmolality and an isotonicity compatible with the animal tissue. Dillon does not disclose parenterally or orally administered treatments using the specially prepared sea water.
Another topical treatment comprising sea water is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,281 to Dillon. This patent discloses a method and solution for the topical treatment of tissue wounds with sea water. The solution comprises a salt and mineral solution having the characteristics of sea water to which is added a chlorinergic agent to stimulate local vasodilation and neurologic function. Dillon does not disclose parenterally or orally administered treatments using the solution.
A series of patents by Commin disclose antiviral treatments which in particular embodiments contain sea water. For example, Australian Patent 612228 to Commin discloses an aqueous solution for the treatment of viral diseases such as HIV comprising white vinegar and mineral salts which can be provided by sea water. Preferably, the white vinegar and sea water are mixed 50:50. Commin discloses that the solution may be administered parenterally, in particular, by I.V. or I.M. injection, in which case the solution is suitably buffered or diluted, or both, so as to be isotonic to blood plasma.
International Patent WO 9627383 to Commin discloses an antiviral solution consisting of acetic acid and coconut powder extracts, a solution of mineral salts which can be provided by sea water, and extracts of cactaceae, liliaceae, anacardiaceae, and euphorbiaceae. The solution may be administered by injection in a form that is isotonic to blood plasma. The sea water is a convenient source of sodium, chlorides, sulfates, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and carbonates and bicarbonates.
Sea water has been used as a source of elements and minerals for plant fertilizers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,971 to Barannik discloses a method for preparing fertilizers from sea water using iron ions. The iron ions form an iron hydroxide in the sea water which absorbs micro-elements and organic substances in the water and precipitates therewith. The precipitate contains about 24 to 31.5% iron and is used as a fertilizer.
Even though sea water has been used as a component of various medical treatments, the prior art does not disclose the use of sea water or the minerals thereof preferably in substantially same proportions as they occur in sea water per se as a nutritional supplement to provide sea water minerals to humans, animals, or plants to maintain or enhance health or as a treatment for viral or bacterial diseases.